Firefox vs. Megafortress

[Sea Skimmer]

The MiG-31 Firefox from the Craig Thomas book of the same name fights the EB-1C Vampire Megafortress from Dale Browns Warrior Class.

The Scenario: Each side must protect a target and destroy their enemies. The Vampire is protecting a small blip tethered 250 feet off the ground, with a single Patriot firing unit acting as a final defense. The Firefox is protecting a bunker, with a pair of SA-15 firing acting as a final defense. The two targets are 500 miles apart and each aircraft starts above with it is protecting.

And to keep things clear, the EB-1C has eight AIM-152 missiles and eight AGM-69s. The MiG has four R-73 missiles and four R-77 missiles plus its cannon.

Note; I am aware the book MiG had only four missiles, but Anabs are huge and you could fit eight smaller missiles in there place with ease.

[RayCav of ASVS]

It would be nice if I knew what the fuck a megafortress was in the first place

[Admiral Valdemar]

Damn, this not Eastwood piloted?

If it was the movie version then I'd give it the Firefox easy.

[Sea Skimmer]

It would be nice if I knew what the fuck a megafortress was in the first place

The EB-1C Megafortress is a B-1B bomber equipped with every imaginable electronic sensor and counter measured device with all round coverage, FLIR, LASAR, Radar, assorted ECM gear, that type of thing. It has air-to-air capacity and the ability to drop or fire every weapon type in the USAF arsenal. It also has the supersonic capacity of the original B-1 and enhanced stealth. However, range is somewhat shorter then the B-1B.

The AIM-152 is Mach 5 80 miles range air-to-air missile with a scramjet that’s fire and forget. A real project, but one that was in real life canceled at the end of the Cold War. The AGM-69 is also a real project that never got anywhere, basically an extended range Maverick with millimeter band radar for targeting.


Valdemar, if we bring character shielding into this, I'm not sure anything can stop the EB-1 short of a tactical nuclear strike on its base..
I don't think the movie MiG was any better then the book MiG, except it looked more like a stealth aircraft, the book one was basic a giant MiG-25.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Hmm, impressive.

This is hard, it's like choosing over the YF-19 and YF-21 in Macross Plus. I like them BOTH dammit!

Humph, I prefer the film Firefox anyway, though I must read the book one day.

[Sea Skimmer]

Yes the book is worth the read, if you can find a copy.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Yes the book is worth the read, if you can find a copy.

Good, I guess the EB-1C doesn't require you to think in Russian at least.

[Sea Skimmer]

Yes the book is worth the read, if you can find a copy.

Good, I guess the EB-1C doesn't require you to think in Russian at least.

Doesn’t require touching anything either, weapons are voice controlled.

[Renewed_Valour1]

I take it the EB-1C missiles aren't equipped with plasma warheads and instead have the conventional ones that they had in Warrior Class?

My bet in this fight is on the EB-1C. The only clear advantages FireFox can boast is speed, maneuverability, and the thought controlled systems. A EB-52+ Megafortress nearly brought down the XF-34 Dreamstar. Dreamstar would have been destroyed if the Old Dog had more missiles or proximity warheads. Dreamstar walks all over the MIG-31 in all areas expect for sheer speed.

A interesting fight might be pitting the XF-15 Cheetah against the MIG-31.

[Sea Skimmer]

Actually, I give it to the Firefox.

Its speed and maneuverability reduce the no escape zone of the AIM-152 to a tiny cone, actually to nothing at all if it's at high mach. Its near complete invisibility to radar doesn’t help either, while the LASAR could still see it, the missile seekers would be greatly degraded in performance.

On the other hand, all of the MiGs weapons will be lethal or at least heavily damaging to the B-1 at any range unless they get lucky with counter measures. That Su-27 in Warrior class seemed to have no problem locking up the EB-1, though the elderly 1960s Gundish radars on the ZSU-23-4s seem to be unable to.